1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data processing. More specifically, the present invention relates to end user interfaces.
2. Background Information
With advances in integrated circuit, microprocessor, networking and communication technologies, an end user of a properly equipped television set or a computing device may receive and consume a variety of multi-media contents or programming via a number of different delivery channels. The end user may e.g. receive and consume television programming delivered through conventional network broadcast, cable or satellite. The end user may also receive and consume various multi-media contents or programming delivered from various recorded media players, such as VCR tape players, CDROM or DVD players. Alternatively, the end user may also receive and consume various streaming multi-media contents or programming delivered through the Internet or other high-speed digital channel.
The end user interfaces (EUI) employed in these multi-media content or programming deliveries are typically limited in their functionalities and ease-of-use. In particular, they are typically fixed or inflexible, i.e. non-responsive or lack interactivity with the user. For example, in the case of television programming, typically only a single view of a program (chosen by a director) is provided to the end user (even though multiple views are available from the multitude of cameras employed to cover an event or performance). Even at times, when multiple views of a program are provided, the user is unable to change the size, and/or placements of the different display windows within which the views are displayed. Where modifications of the size and/or placement of the display windows are supported (hereinafter, simply windows), typically, automatic relative re-sizing and/or placement of the windows are not supported. That is, expansion of a window will often result in the blocking of another window (unless the expanding window is a “transparent” window), and contraction of a window will often result in excess unconsumed space (unless the end user takes overt action to enlarge another window). Similar limitations exist in the delivery of multi-media contents or programming from recorded media or streaming through the Internet.
Further, the different windows (whether it is of the same program or of different programs) are usually not easily interchangeable. In particular, associated controls, such as “minimize”, “maximize”, or task bars, are typically not relocatable from one window associated with one application to another window associated with another application. For example, in the case of television programming, different views of the same program delivered through multiple windows are generally not interchangeable, whereas different programs delivered through different windows, such as a primary view and a “picture-in-picture” (PIP) view, are swappable, provided the end user separately changes the channels associated with the two windows. In the case of windowed applications, control facilities associated with windows of an application, such as “minimize”, “maximize” or task bars, are typically fixed with the corresponding windows and/or the application, and may not be moved and be associated with another window and/or another application.
Thus, an improved end user interface for content or programming delivery is desired.